Among the 18 nations and territories in the Pacific Island Forum, PNG Prime Minister Marape said he will discuss Trump’s decision with other members.
The leader of Papua New Guinea called President Donald Trump’s decision to pull the United States out of the Paris climate deal “totally irresponsible” and “morally wrong” on Sunday, urging him to reconsider.
James Marape, the prime minister, expressed his “great concern” for his nation and other Pacific island nations that face threats from extreme weather patterns and increasing sea levels.
“I ask President Trump to reconsider his decision to withdraw USA from the Paris Agreement,” Marape stated.
In a statement, he declared, “The United States is the second biggest holder of carbon footprint, only after China.”
“The United States chooses to leave the ongoing climate efforts while not closing any of its coal-fired power facilities. This is completely careless.
According to Marape, the US has “revitalized” its ties with nations in the Pacific, where it competes with China’s expanding military and diplomatic clout.
The prime minister went on to say that the United States’ decision to withdraw from climate talks was “very discouraging”.
Pacific nations at peril
“President Trump has his rights in his Put America First agenda, but he needs to tell us how he will respond to t he matter of climate crisis because the Science is not lying to us about the planet heating up,” he stated.
“It is morally wrong for him not to be sensitive to the global climate issues.”
He will discuss Trump’s decision with other members of the Pacific Island Forum, which is made up of 18 nations and territories in the region, Marape added.
Trump declared the US would withdraw from the 2015 Paris Agreement, which was signed by 195 countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as soon as he took office on January 20.
Papua New Guinea is one of several Pacific nations that are at risk and have requested a legal opinion on the duty of nations to act against climate change from the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
